MEASURING THE QUALITY OF URBAN LIFE AND NEIGHBOURHOOD SATISFACTION: FINDINGS FROM GAZIMAGUSA (FAMAGUSTA) AREA STUDY

During the last few decades, measuring the perceived quality of urban life and residential environments has been one of th e areas of inquiry for researches in the field of urbanism. The Famagusta Area Study (FAS) is one of thos e survey studies, through which objective and subjective measures of quality of urban life and neighbourhoods have been compiled using face- to-face interviews. Within the context of the Famagusta Area Study, both objective and subjective measures of quality of life were compiled. Using face-to-face interviews, 398 residents were interviewed in eight Famagusta neighbourhoods during the summer and fall 2007. This paper first presents an overview of the demographic, geographic, and urban context in Famagusta (N. Cyprus) where the study was conduct ed. It then reviews the methodology used in carrying out the research. Next, selected findings covering overall quality of urban life, neighbourhood satisfaction and factors influencing it, assessment of neighbourhood attributes, neighbouring and community issues, and other topics are presented. Finally, the uses of the findings for policy, planning and design are discussed along with key lessons lear ned from the project, and opportunities will be explored for further analysis of the data